科學(xué)家：走路慢，老得快? 嚇得寶寶拔腿就跑

Slow walking and ageing

走路慢,老得快?

Getting old might not be something that’s yet to cross your mind. But ageing is inevitably going to get the better of us one day, so it’s something I’m sure we’d all like control. It would be great to have a long, healthy and happy life, and that’s why scientists are constantly seeking out evidence that will show us what we need to do to achieve longevity.

變老可能是你想都沒(méi)想過(guò)的事情。但總有一天，我們都會(huì)變老，所以我相信我們都希望能控制衰老。擁有一個(gè)長(zhǎng)久、健康和幸福的生活是很好的，這就是為什么科學(xué)家們一直在尋找證據(jù)，告訴我們?nèi)绾尾拍荛L(zhǎng)壽。

We all know that regular exercise is good for us. In recent years we’ve been told to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day to remain healthy, although other advice to do three brisk 10-minute walks a day is thought to be even more effective. But the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you’re someone who walks at a fast pace. That’s because, according to scientists, the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing.

我們都知道經(jīng)常鍛煉對(duì)身體有好處。近年來(lái)，我們被告知每天要走一萬(wàn)步來(lái)保持健康，盡管其他的建議認(rèn)為每天三次10分鐘的快步走更有效。但是如果你是一個(gè)走路很快的人，最新的一項(xiàng)研究可能會(huì)讓你的步伐輕快起來(lái)?？茖W(xué)家認(rèn)為，這是因?yàn)槿藗冊(cè)?0多歲時(shí)走路的速度是大腦和身體衰老程度的標(biāo)志。

The BBC’s Philippa Roxby writes that tests on 1,000 people from New Zealand born in the 1970s found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing". Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those who walked faster. And to add insult to injury, the study found not only did slower walkers' bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they had smaller brains. Professor Terrie E Moffitt, lead author of the study, told the BBC: "[it] found that a slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age."

英國(guó)廣播公司的菲利帕·羅克斯比寫(xiě)道，對(duì)1000名出生于20世紀(jì)70年代的新西蘭人進(jìn)行的測(cè)試發(fā)現(xiàn)，走得慢的人往往有“加速衰老”的跡象。他們的肺、牙齒和免疫系統(tǒng)比那些走得快的人更糟糕。更糟糕的是，研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，走得慢的人不僅身體衰老得更快，他們的臉看起來(lái)更老，他們的大腦也更小。特里·莫菲特教授是這項(xiàng)研究的主要作者，他告訴BBC:“研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，走路慢是人老前幾十年就會(huì)出現(xiàn)的問(wèn)題。”

This might be seen as a wake-up call for people with a slower gait who might feel it’s time to work out and get fitter. But it might be too late; researchers writing in JAMA Network Open say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were aged three. They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will go on to have a healthier life.

對(duì)于步態(tài)較慢的人來(lái)說(shuō)，這可能是一個(gè)警鐘，他們可能覺(jué)得到了該鍛煉身體的時(shí)候了。但可能為時(shí)已晚;研究人員在《美國(guó)醫(yī)學(xué)會(huì)雜志》(JAMA)網(wǎng)絡(luò)版《開(kāi)放》(Open)上發(fā)表文章稱(chēng)，他們能夠利用從三歲開(kāi)始的智力、語(yǔ)言和運(yùn)動(dòng)技能測(cè)試結(jié)果，預(yù)測(cè)45歲人群的步行速度。他們還指出，即使在早期生活中，也有跡象表明哪些人會(huì)過(guò)上更健康的生活。

So, what’s the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Well, researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age, and understanding what this might mean, could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing. This might help us make lifestyle changes while we’re still young and healthy. Any steps we can take to prolong a good mental and physical state is a no brainer!

那么，知道走路速度慢可能意味著大腦更小又有什么意義呢?研究人員表示，在年輕時(shí)測(cè)量行走速度，并理解這可能意味著什么，可能是測(cè)試延緩人類(lèi)衰老治療方法的一種方式。這可能會(huì)幫助我們?cè)谀贻p健康的時(shí)候改變生活習(xí)慣。我們可以采取任何措施來(lái)延長(zhǎng)良好的精神和身體狀態(tài)都是可以理解的!